Carol Schwartz is one of Australia’s leading business identities. She has impacted on Australian society through her business achievements and her involvement in diverse portfolios.

Schwartz works with innovative people, organisations, systems and communities to achieve transformative outcomes. Through this work she has played an important and pioneering role in the development of a new type of organisation in Australia – social enterprise.

Passionate advocate of social change, Schwartz founded the Trawalla Foundation, a social investment body that works to build positive, sustainable social returns on social investments to achieve long-term impact. Through that foundation, she promotes women into leadership positions, a sustainable environment and civil society. She has a strong preference to invest in initiatives for Australians who are marginalised due to economic opportunity, gender or cultural heritage.

In 2006, she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for her achievements in business and commerce and her contribution to community and the arts.

Schwartz also received the Centenary Medal in 2001 in recognition of her outstanding service as a leading business executive and board participant and a Monash University Fellowship in 2010 in recognition of her significant contribution to the community through her professional distinction and outstanding service as a member of the alumni.

In addition to her ground – breaking work with social enterprises such as Our Community, Schwartz also has high-level involvement in organisations as diverse as Qualitas Property Partners, Melbourne Business School, and the Australian Innovation Research Centre.